With No. 2 seed Alabama’s first round game versus No. 15 Robert Morris tipping off tomorrow, all eyes are on the availability of starting forward Grant Nelson, who suffered an apparent knee injury in last Saturday’s SEC Tournament loss to Florida.
Head coach Nate Oats provided an update on Monday during the recording of the “Hey Coach” radio show.
“We dodged one. It wasn’t anything too serious with his knee,” Oats said, but clarifying Nelson “for sure will be questionable for Friday.”
He also said the team hopes to have Nelson in the lineup at “a minimum” by a potential second round game on Sunday.
“He’s a competitor. He played great in the NCAA Tournament last year. It’ll end up being a game-time decision based on what he feels like in the morning,” Oats said.
Nelson, who walked into the team’s locker room at the arena in Cleveland with a brace on his knee Thursday, told reporters he is a “game-time decision” for Friday’s game.
The 6-foot-11 forward averages the team’s second-highest points per game, with 11.8, and leads in rebounds and blocks per game, with 7.6 and 1.2, respectively.
Alabama’s quest for its first national championship will tip off Friday at 11:40 a.m. CT, with or without Nelson. The game can be streamed on truTV.
